Owen restates his case for doing it the Eriksson way

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MICHAEL OWEN not only intends to prove his own fitness this week, but also that of Sven-Göran Eriksson. In issuing a staunch defence of the England head coach, whose position has been questioned after abject displays by his team against Northern Ireland, Wales and Denmark, the forward tried to defuse a controversy last night that has impinged upon a faltering World Cup qualifying campaign.

“There has been a lot written about supposed disharmony in the dressing-room,” Owen, who missed Newcastle United’s 0-0 draw away to Portsmouth on Saturday with a dead leg, said. “Nothing could be further from the truth.